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Block Scheduling

Why is Sun Prairie moving to Block Scheduling in the 2018-19 School Year?

Starting in 2014 our Superintendent, Tim Culver and Board President, Tom Weber held Strategic Planning sessions with approximately 60 community residents, parents, students, teachers, administrators, district staff, business leaders, and volunteers. The Strategic Planning Team met for three full Saturdays and a Wednesday evening. The process was facilitated by Brian Kammers and Joanne Sternke. Following these full deliberations and many rich conversations, the Strategic Planning Team proposed a new district Vision, Mission, Values and Beliefs Statements. The proposed Strategic Plan was adopted August 11, 2014.

We then began the Curriculum Renewal and Design process in the fall of 2015 in the area of math, it became apparent that we were in need of additional minutes of instruction in order for us to achieve our goal. It was evident that there were other curricular areas where innovative scheduling or a shift in how our schedule is structured would afford additional opportunities for all students. These additional opportunities would allow students not only to access more rigorous coursework, but would provide more course options for students. Building leaders and a committee investigated and prepared a block scheduling model at each school site for implementation in the 2018-19 school year.

Some benefits of Block Scheduling

More choices for students - students can find more areas of interests

Increase engagement opportunities - allows teachers to engage with kids when in a class for a longer period of time

Acceleration for students - allows students to get to higher level courses if they want to

Interventions and enrichment opportunities - students have built in time to get assistance

Fewer classes per day to focus on

Schedules will look differently at each school site. View the information below for more information by grade.

Block Information By Grade

Patrick Marsh and Prairie View middle schools will be transitioning to a restructured instructional schedule for the 2018-29 school year, to increase instructional minutes for math, reduce transition, and build stronger connections within the school.

What does that mean for my student and family for registration?
Registration materials are already out and nothing changes on your end. We simply need to know student preferences for electives and also their involvement in our music program.

What will a student schedule look like?
There are many different variations in student schedules, while the schedules shown below are a sample of what the schedule "could" look like for a 6th and 7th grade student.

What is different about the schedule from last year to this year?

2017-2018

2018-2019

Teaching teams consist of mostly 4-teacher teams:

Teacher 1: Math and Social Studies

Teacher 2: Reading/LINK and Social Studies

Teacher 3: Writing and Social Studies

Teacher 4: Science and Social Studies

Teaching Teams consist of 2 or 3-teacher teams:
- 2-person team

Teacher 1: Math and Science

Teacher 2: Literacy and Social Studies

- 3-person team

Teacher 1: Math

Teacher 2: Literacy

Teacher 3: Science and Social Studies

Math is 47 minutes

Math is 83 minutes

Reading and writing are separate classes

Reading and writing are combined into one class, and renamed literacy

Some elective classes were every day for one quarter in 6th grade

Every elective class is every other day for one semester (equivalent to one quarter) in 6th grade

Eight (8) transitions or passing times

Six (6) transitions or passing times

Students see eight (8) teachers in one day

Students see up to si (6) teachers in one day

How can I learn more about the schedule?
Patrick Marsh and Prairie View will be hosing informational sessions during Parent/Teacher Conferences on February 22 and 23. More information to follow from specific buildings.

Almost all classes will meet on an A/B rotation with students having 4 classes (blocks) per day, 8 classes total.

A 30 minute Homeroom will occur at the beginning of each week. Staff and students will stay together as a cohort for all three years.

A 30 minute Advisory will occur 4 days a week- students will sign up for these every few weeks. An advisory can be filled with a club or organizational meeting or intervention and enrichment where students can get help with homework, testing help, socratic seminars, book studies, peer tutoring, and more. Teachers can require that a student attend their advisory if they feel a student could benefit by extra time with that subject.

There will be 7 minute passing periods

This is a great opportunity to our students; they will be able to earn 32 credits in 4 years versus the current 28 by using the Block Scheduling.

What is staying the same?

We will still have 3 lunch periods.

School start and end times will remain the same

Families were offered an opportunity to attend an information night about block scheduling. If you were unable to attend, please view the video.